Halloween isn't really that big in Europe. Though it's quite known on this side of the world, people here aren't as gung ho about it as those in the US. Still, there are some places in the Old Continent where Halloween is beloved as ever. Paris is one of them. The French may not go trick-or-treating as much as you'd think, but they love the holiday just as much. Especially if you go to places like Disneyland Paris, Le Grand Rex, and of course, the Paris Catacombs too. These are just some of the best places to celebrate Halloween in Paris!
Disneyland Paris
This one's a no-brainer! As an American-born theme park, it's only natural that Halloween is a big deal in Disneyland Paris. In fact, the celebrations start on the very first day of the month! Come October 1, this magical place full of sparkles, rainbows, and bubbles will be filled with jack-o'-lanterns, witch's brooms, spider webs, and more. Suddenly, all of your favorite characters from the beloved Disney films are away. At this time of the year, it's the Disney Villains' time to shine. You'll see them walking around the park, dancing during the spooky parades, and more. As for which attraction you ought to ride, is there even any question? The Haunted Mansion, of course!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Jardin d'Acclimatation
Apart from Disneyland Paris, the French capital has other theme parks where you'll want to spend Halloween. Jardin d'Acclimatation, the famous theme park on the Bois de Boulogne, is one of them. Located in the
16th arrondissement, this is usually a bright and fun place filled with exciting rides, cool games, and lots of laughter. But come October, the park starts to feature many Toussaint-inspired attractions. There's 'The Haunted Museum,' for instance, which is a lot scarier than the more famous galleries in Paris. As well as the adorable '
Dio de Los Muertos' puppet show for the little kiddies.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Le Manoir de Paris
Up on Rue de Paradis in the
10th arrondissement of Paris, Le Manoir de Paris stands as the go-to haunted house of the city. Even when it's not Halloween in Paris, this place will still scare the bejesus out of you! What more when it's during the holiday? There's no doubt that they'll go all out with their scares. They'll even feature well-known monsters just to add on the fright. If you think you're brave enough, go here on your own! But in truth, Le Manoir de Paris is best experienced with friends. You'll need one to hide behind, after all!
Source: Le Manoir de Paris Facebook Page
Paris Catacombs
This is very much a given, isn't it? Where else would you be during the scariest holiday of the year than in the Paris Catacombs? The place is unintentionally scary, which makes it an even better Halloween spot in Paris! The Catacombs of Paris are a series of underground ossuaries where the remains of roughly six million people decorate the walls and ceilings. It's sort of wild that such a thing still exists and it's possible that no one will ever know to who these remains belong. But there's also no denying that walking through these catacombs, especially on All Hallow's Eve, sends quite the chill down your spine.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Père Lachaise Cemetery
Admittedly, visiting the Père Lachaise Cemetery isn't that scary of an adventure. In fact, many people do it no matter the time of the year. There's just something about this cemetery, just like many others all throughout France and the rest of Europe, that feels serene. Of course, it's a major plus that there are many famous people buried here. They include Oscar Wilde, Marcel Proust, Sarah Bernhardt, and Sir Richard Wallace, among many others. If you're a fan of any one of them, then the Père Lachaise Cemetery ought to be your pilgrimage site! It also helps that this place is among the
most beautiful during autumn in Paris.
Source: Flickr.com/ Geof Wilson
Le Grand Rex
Halloween in Paris isn't complete without the Le Grand Rex. This iconic cinema is a hotspot no matter the time of the year, but it's even more popular on October 31st. Why? Because every Halloween, this theater hosts the best scary movie marathon in town! From classic
black and white horror flicks to
famous cult classics, they screen them all here. So if you're up for a cinematic fright, there's no better spot in Paris than Le Grand Rex! Make sure to buy your tickets as early as you can since the place will likely be packed!
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ A.hellmann
Parc Astérix
Though technically not in Paris, there are a few places that you'd want to visit when you're celebrating Halloween in France. They're near enough to the French capital so a
day trip to any one of these spots is good enough. And the first is Parc Astérix. This comic book-inspired theme park is located in Plailly, a lovely commune that's only an hour's drive away from Paris. Every October, this storybook-like fantasyland gets infested with monsters like vampires and werewolves, looking to scare those who are brave enough to visit at this time of the year. Are you up for such a fun fright?
Source: Parc Astérix
The France Miniature
There's also The France Miniature, a fascinating amusement park in the Élancourt commune of the Île-de-France region. Just as its name says, this place is all about the miniature scale models of the country's various landmarks. Many of which are, of course, those in Paris. If you ever want to feel like you're taller than the Eiffel Tower, this place will give you just that! And if you go here around October, you'll get to see what these famous sights look like when decorated with spiderwebs, jack-o-lanterns, slime, and more. They also hold fun treasure hunts for the little ones too!
Source: The France Miniature Facebook Page
If you're ever celebrating Halloween in Paris, make sure to go to any of the best spots in the city like Disneyland Paris or Le Grand Rex, to name a few. It's there that you'll have the time of your life during this scary but fun and exciting holiday!
